When I entered in 2007 (for '0 it was still open after a couple of weeks iirc. I entered last week of July, and I think the race was held second Sunday in July back then. Ironically I'd only entered as Austria & Frankfurt had sold-out in a heartbeat; which neither do now. Although Online Registration for IMA opens this afternoon at 15.00 UK time, so we shall see.
_________________27 Years since it all began....

I tried literally a few seconds after 9am and I was unsuccessful. I don't know how that can be. They must hold an awful lot of entries back for the tour companies that guarantee you a place if you book through them as a package!! Oh well I'll hold out for 6th December.
_________________Homer (forever trying)
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I've looked at the course maps. Can you give me some details on why its a pain to deal with?

Swim/T1 is near the airport. Suggesting hotels in the area.
Bike is the usual bike. And their "Heartbreak Hill" isn't too far away.
Run is around the city itself (which I prefer)

Even the registration is on the banks of the river. And I assume that Frankfurt city centre is fairly well equipped for decent Hotels

Looks like it's not somewhere to have a car, (but then I didn't have a car in Zurich and we were OK) There's train lines all over the place, I guess they run in a fashion on race day? Id expect a million Taxi options as well.

IMO Part of the logistic problems with Roth are the size of the town being a relatively small one of ~25K people. There's not the infrastructure you get in a major city location. (or even Bolton )

Homer wrote:

I tried literally a few seconds after 9am and I was unsuccessful. I don't know how that can be. They must hold an awful lot of entries back for the tour companies that guarantee you a place if you book through them as a package!! Oh well I'll hold out for 6th December.

Was it only first and last names and email address like last year?

They posted a Video on social media watching their computer screen as the entries came flooding in. Went quickly, which of course is a triumph of marketting themselves (somewhat immodestly) as "The home of Triathlon" when we all know that would be Kona!

They also sell 1000 places on the Monday after the race in the village. If you REALLY want to do the race, it wouldn't hurt to fly to Nuremberg on the Sunday evening.

I've looked at the course maps. Can you give me some details on why its a pain to deal with?

Swim/T1 is near the airport. Suggesting hotels in the area.
Bike is the usual bike. And their "Heartbreak Hill" isn't too far away.
The way the road network is arranged, means getting to the lake involves going almost into Frankfurt itself, to get back out. The 'schnellstrasses' (expressway) have very few exits & they are directional. Heartbreak Hill is a fair ride out from the city - riding in the city centre is like riding in any other city with >750,000 people & cars. If you're staying near the airport, you're away from both the city centre & the lake (you cannot ride on those expressway roads around the airport). Meaning you need a car or you have to rely on public transport, which will add a huge amount of time to your day. It will probably be very hot.

Even the registration is on the banks of the river. And I assume that Frankfurt city centre is fairly well equipped for decent Hotels Yes

Run is around the city itself (which I prefer)
The run has very little shade if it's hot (a theme). In 2015 they actually took the decision to divert it away from the riverbank to get more tree cover - it didn't make much difference!

Looks like it's not somewhere to have a car, (but then I didn't have a car in Zurich and we were OK) There's train lines all over the place, I guess they run in a fashion on race day? Id expect a million Taxi options as well.
The race shuttles work well on race morning - and are pretty much obligatory. They go from the centre. But using public transport any other time just eats into your day. It will probably be very hot.

IMO Part of the logistic problems with Roth are the size of the town being a relatively small one of ~25K people. There's not the infrastructure you get in a major city location. (or even Bolton )
Conversely, the lack of big city traffic means it's quicker to get around in the case of Roth

The fact that Frankfurt is a big city means everywhere is more busy + more time taken-up travelling about. Add in the fact it's normally very hot: high 20s as a minimum, and normally 30+ degrees and all the travelling about is energy sapping. There were a load of road works in the city 3 years ago.

Like anything though, first time around can be a right PITA, and if you go back again, you are more familiar and can arrange your days to make things go more smoothly and expend less energy getting about. You also don't have to do course recces.
_________________27 Years since it all began....

I tried literally a few seconds after 9am and I was unsuccessful. I don't know how that can be. They must hold an awful lot of entries back for the tour companies that guarantee you a place if you book through them as a package!! Oh well I'll hold out for 6th December.

Was it only first and last names and email address like last year?

They posted a Video on social media watching their computer screen as the entries came flooding in. Went quickly, which of course is a triumph of marketting themselves (somewhat immodestly) as "The home of Triathlon" when we all know that would be Kona!

They also sell 1000 places on the Monday after the race in the village. If you REALLY want to do the race, it wouldn't hurt to fly to Nuremberg on the Sunday evening.

Good luck with the December Ballot. It might be worth looking at booking accommodation on a "free cancellation" basis in the meantime. Just because it can be grief nearer the time.

There were at least 5 groups of Roth athletes in Novotel MesseZentrum Nurnburg. (exhibition centre) due to it's easy drive to Roth and Hilpolstein.

Hmmm Thanks for the tip about booking accommodation. Didn't think of that. I'll go onto Booking.com now, just in case a miracle happens in December. Would love to do this race, but not to the extreme of camping _________________Homer (forever trying)
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£36 Stanstead to Nuremberg. Get an late afternoon flight (RyanAir. Oher airlines available )
Cab to the Finish line party. Which is worth attending I think
Get a deckchair. Watch some ipad movies or something to pass the time. Maybe a drink or 2.
Sit there until 9am.
Get your place.
Fly home. Job jobbed If I was hoping to Roth again, it's what I would give some thought to.

Jorgan wrote:

These days, there are plenty of Ironman races that take weeks or months to sell-out, and even some that never fill.

How does Tallinn sound?

Like it's in Estonia!

Thanks for the pointers on Frankfurt. I see Hamburg is on the rota. Looks like a VERY flat course. So I imagine it will sell out pretty quickly.

The courses that don't tend to sell out seem to be the tougher ones. Nice, Lanza, Zurich (which tbf I don't think is that hard ) Wales and Bolton. I like making a trip of big races btw.

Obviously being a Brit, the heat is not my friend But I'm thinking that anywhere in central Europe is going to be hot in June/July. Can I somehow train around it and become better in the heat.

I always think the Scandinavian races are a bit "quiet" Not so many competitors or spectators.

North America? might be cooler in the North. Lake Placid or Boulder (hilly bike according to the profile) perhaps? (obviously Boulder is at altitude which may present other problems)

^^The Scandinavian races sell-out fast these days. I think Zurich is maybe less popular due to costs, both in the slightly higher entry fee and expensive accommodation/food etc. Apart from that, I'm not sure I can think of a reason why IMCH isn't as popular - except it has more competition in the form of other IM races these days.

You could enter this year's race now if you fancy? £617 plus 8% for Tier 4 _________________27 Years since it all began....

IM Copenhagen 2015 had 3000 competitors - and 200.000 spectators in town lining a 5k stretch (4x out and back course). It was packed 5 deep in the centre of town.

Don't know how big the other races out there are but I thought it was pretty big.

'People watching' on the bike is enough to keep me entertained in the LD big events, it's the run where the support is more welcome/needed. The bike section on the Cotswold 226 was tough, not only was it very windy in 2016, but I had to ride the whole thing pretty-much alone....it was like a training ride (especially as it was on much of my training routes ).
_________________27 Years since it all began....